Dow celebrates anniversary, notes milestones

Nov 05, 2009

On Oct. 31, 1989, The Dow Chemical Company and Eli Lilly and Company came together to form a global agricultural sciences joint venture headquartered in Indianapolis.

Two decades later this business known as Dow AgroSciences, now wholly owned by Dow, is a $4.5 billion global plant science leader with an aggressive growth plan for the future based on delivering innovation to the marketplace.

Turning science into solutions for farmers and other markets around the world takes a talented work force, and the company has announced it hired people to fill 300 new positions around the globe in 2009. These jobs are being added in key geographies to advance the company’s research and development work as well as to produce and commercialize its new products. Approximately half the new jobs were added at the global headquarters in Indianapolis. In addition, the company is expanding its work force through employees added via acquisition, having acquired Pfister Hybrid Seeds this year.

“Our focus when we began the joint venture was to provide innovation for our customers, and technology remains our growth engine today as we invest in capabilities and personnel to build our future,” says Antonio Galindez, Dow AgroSciences president and CEO. “2010 should be a significant year for our technology in the marketplace. We will launch SmartStax, the industry-leading trait package for insect and weed control, and expect great reception in the marketplace, and our new agrochemical products continue growing due to outstanding global customer acceptance.”

In 2009, the company has announced numerous efforts to expand its capacity for growth, including signing a 15-year lease on an 80,000-square-foot research facility adjacent to its corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. It is also expanding R&D efforts as a tenant in the Purdue Research Park, West Lafayette, Ind. Numerous collaborations and research milestones also have been announced.